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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: charge · bowl · deal · firm · clip · board · capital · roll

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. charge — in control
  4. firm — decided
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. charge — a price
  7. firm — steady
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. roll — a list
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. clip — a video
  12. clip — to cut
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. capital — a city
  15. roll — a cake
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. capital — money
  19. clip — for paper
  20. charge — electricity
  21. firm — a company
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. board — to get on
  24. deal — an agreement

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com